by E.J. Stevens
Plus, let’s face it. We’d all be better off with the witch’s magic on our side. If some badass demons did come gunning for us, we’d need more firepower than a priest, a teen witch, a kelpie, and a half-breed faerie princess. It was like a bad joke, one the demons would be laughing at for centuries while they cracked the whip over their new city full of slaves.
Of course, finding Kaye was easier said than done. I still had no idea where the witch had gone. With no other leads, I decided to pay a visit to the Hunters’ Guild.
On my way out of the church, I tried calling the local guild office, but no one answered and the number Jenna had given me was no longer in service. I didn’t even want to contemplate what that meant. I guess I’d find out soon enough.
I scrubbed a hand over my face before beginning the descent down the stone steps leading out of Sacred Heart. The church was at the very top of Joysen Hill and I wanted a moment to catch my breath and enjoy the view. If I squint my eyes just right, I could pretend that the city below us was nothing more than party lights floating in a water garden. Well, except for the fires raging to the East.
It looked like a trip to the Hunters’ Guild would have to wait.
“Oh, shit,” I said. I pointed and Ceff’s face darkened as he caught sight of the flames. “That’s near Baker’s Row. Come on!”
I started to run, but lurched to a stop when Ceff stepped into my path.
“I will attend to the fires,” he said. “Confer with the Hunters’ Guild. Find Madam Kaye. I will join you later.”
“But how are you going to fight those fire imps without your guards?” I asked.
I hadn’t seen any of Ceff’s royal guard since we’d left the Old Port quarter. I assumed that they thought he was safe with me, which just showed how little his people really knew about me.
Ceff whistled and two kelpies slid out of the shadows. Damn, his elite guards were ninja stealthy. The fact that they were in their massive horse forms made their sudden appearance even more impressive.
“I will not be alone,” he said. “Aminon and Dilyn will be at my side and I can call for more of my people once I am within earshot of the harbor. Once the fire is contained, and the inhabitants of the buildings to safety, I will return to you and leave the remainder of the fire fighting in the capable hands of my elite guard.”
I remembered the bean-tighe family we’d visited on Baker’s Row when working the missing children case. My chest tightened at the thought of Myrtha and Glynda and their daughter Flynis trapped by the flames. I hoped that they were able to take to their brooms and flee, but not all of the inhabitants of Baker’s Row had the gift of flight. Those vamp owned buildings were deathtraps.
“Okay, go, but take this,” I said, reaching into my jacket pocket.
I pulled out a burner cell that Jinx had given me in case of emergencies. I had a nasty habit of losing my cell, or otherwise causing it to become a useless chunk of metal and plastic. Plus, as Jinx had pointed out, you never know when you’ll need to make a call your enemies can’t trace.
Having a quick, mundane way to keep in touch with Ceff was also useful.
Ceff gave the phone a nasty look, but slid it into a pocket. He may not like the technology, but at least it wouldn’t give him iron poisoning. Cell phones contain copper, gold, and platinum, but no fae crippling iron—I’d checked. Thank Mab for Google.
“And don’t forget the nixie who lives in the fountain on Merrion Square,” I said, thinking fast. Kelpies weren’t the only fae who could control water. “Maybe she can help.”
“Beautiful and smart,” he said. “I really am the luckiest man on land or sea.”
I blushed, but flashed him a cocky grin.
“They don’t pay me for my looks, horse man,” I said.
“Ah, but they should,” he said. Then he blinked and shot me a grin of his own. “Did you just call me a stud?”
I snorted and waved him away. As much as I hated to admit it, we didn’t have time for flirting. When did we ever? There were always cases to solve, cities to save—you know, the usual.
I let a little heat into my gaze and made a mental promise to make it up to Ceff when all of this was over. When the city was safe and my debts were cleared, we’d take a long weekend—just the two of us. I owed it to Ceff.
I’d been a pain in the ass to be around lately, what with my obsession to find my father and my not-so-graceful entrance into fae society. I’d been especially hard on those closest to me. It was time I treated those I cared about like the precious gems that they were. I just wish it didn’t take the threat of losing them all for me to realize that.
“Go on, I’ll catch up with you later,” I said.
Ceff’s eyes glowed green in response to the rising heat between us.
“I will hold you to that promise,” he said.
The guards snorted and stamped their feet, probably giving Ceff the kelpie equivalent of a chest bump. I rolled my eyes and waved them off. I thought about making some witty comment like “you boys have fun playing with water,” but just the thought of Ceff manipulating his element sent a shiver of anticipation along my spine. I knew from experience that water fae could do a heck of a lot more with water than just put out fires. Hell, Ceff could set my skin aflame—literally.
I shook my head, trying to dispel naked images of Ceff. I was not going to stand here on the church steps while thinking about hot kelpie sex—that sounded like a surefire way to get struck by lightning. I gave my brain a mental cold shower, focusing on the fires raging below and the need to rescue Jinx and myself from the glaistig’s clutches.
I grabbed hold of my anger and let it grow, the beating of my heart loud in my ears, nearly drowning out the sound of horse hooves as the kelpies raced toward the fire. I turned in the other direction, heading west toward the Hunters’ Guild’s local base of operations. I would find Kaye, retrieve the artifact from Arachne, reconnoiter with Ceff—and then we’d kick some demon ass.
Chapter 24
The Hunters here in Harborsmouth have used the old Herne building as their guildhall for nearly a decade. The former private school is ideal for their purposes. The school campus was easily defendable and had all of the buildings that the militant guild needed for its operations.
I knew from experience that the gymnasium and courtyard were used for weapon and hand-to-hand combat training. According to Jenna, the Hunters lived in the dormitory and the numerous classrooms were also still in use, although I’m sure the former headmaster would roll over in his grave if he discovered that the new teachers were instructing their students on such subjects as military tactics, vampire politics, fae anatomy, and demonology.
But then again, who knows. The place had been named the Herne School, and a figure similar to the pagan Green Man peered from above the door lintel, its head displaying an impressive rack of antlers. It was possible that the figure represented Herne the Hunter. Maybe the former headmaster had been fae.
At least I could see the reason why the Guild was attracted to the place.
“Come on, come on,” I muttered, waiting for someone to answer the doorbell.
I shivered, pulling my jacket up around my neck and stomping my feet against the chill in the air. I stood beneath the horned face that sprouted vines from every orifice. Thank Mab the thing was inanimate stone. Humphrey was hard enough to get used to. I couldn’t imagine chatting with a gargoyle that looked like it was puking a garden out through its eyeballs.
Booted footsteps drew near and I took a deep breath. Okay, calm down Ivy. Now would not be a good time to start glowing. Hunters might technically be the good guys, but they fought against rogue paranormals and had a tendency to strike first and ask questions later.
Of course, being run through with a sword and turned into a wisp kebab wasn’t my only worry. There was a very real possibility that the guards would turn me away at the door. In the past, I’d only come to the guildhall for appointed training sessions with Jenna. Without the youn
g Hunter here to meet me, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get inside.
Chains slid, metal bolts were thrown, and the door swung open on well oiled hinges. I blinked at a belt buckle the size of my fist and tilted my head back to see a behemoth of a man towering over me. Hunters only allow humans to join their ranks, with the notable exception of the occasional witch, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this guy had some ogre blood somewhere in his family tree. Not only was he well over six feet tall, the guy’s muscles had muscles, and strapped over those rippling masses were a staggering number of weapons.
“Um, I’m here to see Master Janus,” I said.
I tried to flash the guard my best smile, which seemed to backfire when his hands tightened on the handle of an axe. Oh well, so much for polite. It wasn’t really my style anyway.
“You got an appointment?” he asked.
“No, I don’t, but I’m not leaving until I speak with him,” I said. “Tell him Kaye’s friend, Ivy Granger, is here to see him and it’s urgent—as in I need to talk to him yesterday.”
Muscles grunted and, with one hand still gripping the massive axe, picked up a phone that was bolted to the wall just inside the door. He angled his body away and kept his voice low, but my fae heightened hearing allowed me to make out the gist of what he was saying. Muscles was checking in with Janus’ office and verifying my story.
He narrowed his eyes and shot a glance at me from beneath dark, bushy brows and I tried not to fidget. I kept my hands loose at my sides and away from any obvious weapons. Of course, I had my throwing knives literally up my sleeves, strapped to my forearms beneath my leather jacket, but he didn’t necessarily know that. Not unless he’d seen me spar with Jenna.
His eye twitched and I got the impression that whatever the person was saying on the other end of the line had surprised the guy. Maybe they were going to let me in after all.
“You’re cleared to enter, but stick with me,” he said. “No detours, you got me?”
“Sure, whatever,” I said.
Muscles looked me over, eyes hovering over my forearms, lower back, and ankle—oh yeah, this guy knew exactly where I kept my blades—his bulk blocking my path.
“Master Janus says you’re not to be searched and you can keep your weapons, some kind of special dispensation due to OCD or PTSD or some shit, but I see you so much as scratch your ass and I’ll cut you,” he said. “Got it?”
Asshole. How does Jenna put up with these meatheads?
“I hear you,” I said. “Loud and clear.”
I tried to act cool, but inside I was pissing my pants. I’d never been bodily searched during my previous visits, but the new policy made sense if the Hunters’ Guild was gearing up for the coming battle. Thank Mab that either Kaye or Jenna had mentioned my touch phobia to Janus or things could have got messy quick.
Of course, that also meant that the Guild new my weaknesses. I swallowed hard and fought to keep up with Muscles.
He marched me through the parade grounds, which I was pretty sure used to be the old bus loop, and up a gravel drive. At the entrance to the administrative building, a young man in cargo pants, combat boots, and a tight fitted t-shirt came running out and saluted Muscles.
“I’ll take it from here, Hendricks,” he said.
Hendricks? Must be Muscles’ real name, and just when I was getting used to the ring of it. Hendricks thrust out his chest and stared the new guy down. Cargo Pants was half of Hendricks’ size, but he stood his ground.
“By whose orders, whelp?” Hendricks scoffed. “Yours?”
“Don’t need orders, just common sense,” Cargo Pants said. He nodded back toward the way we’d come. “Someone needs to watch the gate, and last time I checked the roster, that person was you.”
A muscle twitched in Hendricks’ cheek, but he blew out a breath and rolled his eyes.
“Whatever,” he said. “You can have the bitch. She’s just your type, a Grade-A pain in the ass.”
With that, Hendricks turned and swaggered back toward the gate. Cargo Pants waited until the crunch of gravel beneath heavy boots faded then treated me to a brilliant, yet rueful smile. He had the most amazingly perfect, white teeth—all except for the canines, which were impossibly long and sharp.
Werewolf? If so, then the Hunters’ Guild’s recruiting practices had changed as of late. Either that or the rumor that they were a solely human organization was smoke and mirrors. Hard to tell when you’re dealing with a secret society with a labyrinthine hierarchical structure based on initiating its members into even greater degrees of secrecy.
I pushed away the image my brain conjured of me wearing a red cloak and holding a picnic basket—damn I was overtired—and smiled back at Cargo Pants.
“Sorry about Hendricks, he’s an ass,” he said. He started to reach out to shake hands, thought better of it, and rubbed the back of his neck—which meant he probably knew about my touch phobia. “You’re Ivy Granger, right?”
I nodded slowly and tilted my head to the side.
“You seem to know me, but I don’t recognize you,” I said. “You got a name, or am I going to have to call you Cargo Pants all day—or maybe you prefer Big Bad.”
His eyes flashed silver and I knew I was right. I’d be damned, the guy was a werewolf. True shapeshifters like werewolves and skinwalkers don’t use a glamour to conceal their animal forms, so there’s nothing for my second sight to see through. But that didn’t mean there weren’t ways to know what I was dealing with. Just like in poker, everybody’s got a tell.
And those eyes were telling me that Cargo Pants may be a lot of things, but he sure as hell wasn’t human. Skinwalkers have golden eyes, so I was leaning toward were. After Hendricks’ “whelp” insult, I was thinking wolf.
“My name’s Jonathan, Jonathan Baldwin,” he said. “I’m a friend of Jenna’s.”
“Does Jenna know you’re a werewolf?” I asked.
His eyes widened, mouth dropping open. Bingo.
“Jesus, she was right, you get straight to the point, don’t you?” he asked.
“No time for bullshit,” I said with a shrug. “I’m too busy saving the city from the stuff the Guild doesn’t bother with, or doesn’t know about. And you haven’t answered the question.”
“Okay, fine, but can we talk while we walk?” he asked. He looked around nervously. There were young, heavily armed men and women moving busily throughout the campus and we’d started to catch their notice. “And keep your voice down? Jenna knows what I am, but not everyone here does, and I’d like to keep it that way. In case you haven’t noticed, Hunters aren’t always the most tolerate when it comes to paranormals.”
I snorted. That was an understatement. I couldn’t imagine what some of these guys would think if they knew that a werewolf was in their midst. Though it did beg the question of how a paranormal had infiltrated such an exclusive club.
Jonathan started walking and I matched his stride.
“So how do you know Jenna?” I asked.
I kept my eyes on the corridors and galleries as we passed, careful not to look too interested in what the guy next to me was saying. If someone was watching, it probably looked like he was giving the visitor a tour.
“We’re roommates, or at least we were before they sent her out of the country,” he said.
I felt his body tense and knew he wasn’t too thrilled with the Guild’s decision to ship the young Hunter off to Europe. In that, Jonathan and I were in perfect agreement.
“Roommates, really?” I asked. “How’d that happen? I would have thought the old geezers in charge would have frowned on that.”
“We’re bunkmates, not lovers,” he said. I caught the wistfulness in his voice and winced. Jenna and Jonathan may not have hooked up, but that didn’t mean the guy wasn’t interested. If I had to guess, I’d say he was nursing a crush on my Hunter friend. “Nobody else wanted to room with Jenna, not after she knocked a few heads together for idiots not respecting her personal space. So I gave
up my single on the condition that Master Janus gave me permission to let Jenna in on my secret.”
So the Guild did know about the fact that Jonathan was a werewolf, interesting. I filed the information away for later.
Jonathan rubbed at a scar above his right eye and I suspected that he and Jenna had come to blows too. There was probably a story there. I shook my head and paused.
“I don’t get it,” I said. “I know Jenna’s tough as nails, but why the need to prove herself?”
“It was more than that,” he said. “Girls have it harder here than guys, so she did have to prove herself more than once, but the fights in the dormitories weren’t just bluster. For Jenna, it was survival.”
“Are you telling me someone here was trying to hurt her?” I asked.
I had to breathe slowly and deeply to keep my rage at bay. If my skin started glowing this deep inside the guildhall, I’d be screwed.
“Not here, it was before she was initiated into the Guild,” he said. He frowned. “Look I’m only telling you this because Jenna said that you’re her friend and that I could trust you.”
I nodded.
“She had a tough life before coming here,” he said. “Her parents were murdered and she was in and out of the foster system for years.”
“I didn’t know,” I said.
I winced. Jenna had never shared anything about her past and I’d never bothered to ask.
“It’s not uncommon,” he said, shrugging. “The Guild often recruits orphans when the system lets them down. But I think things were especially bad for Jenna. She was more…haunted than most, though she did a good job of hiding it during the day.”
“But it’s hardest to hide from your ghosts at night,” I said, and Jonathan nodded.
I should know. There’s nothing like sleep to tear down your defenses and let the nightmares in. I’d woken up Jinx with my screams more often than I’d like to admit.
“Yeah, which made her a bitch to room with,” he said, grinning. “Though I don’t imagine bunking with a werewolf was easy for her either.”
